Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00239)

Alexis:
> I do think the use of
>the "owrd "model" in the context we're discussing precedes Wilson's use of
>it, but I'd have to do some research to prove it. I do, however, remember
>one Albert Eisntein using it when explainging his work to me when I was a
>kid. (No kidding

	Maybe we should ask, who don't you know?  I agree that
the use of "model" is pre-Wilson.  I first learned this at the University
of Maryland in the early 60s while getting my engineering degree.  The
idea of models comes from the scientific community, and yes, Einstein
and some others started it, because until Einstein came alone everyone
thought Newton was "reality."  After Einstein, Newton became a "model."
Modern science always speaks in terms of models of reality.  But this
idea is relatively new to the occult and magical communities.  Wilson may
have picked it up from someone else.  I was just mentioning that his use
of the idea was the first that I had come across in the occult or magical
worlds.  G de P, for example, warns against taking his charts for
the real thing, and points out that the astral is not over our heads, for
example.  But for him, and all the other early theosophists, HPB's
model was *the* model, rather than *a* model.  As far as I know, I
was the first theosophist to dare call it *a* reality model (i.e., one of
many).

	Jerry S.
	Member, TI